The fourth of May wasn't exactly Star Wars day for me, but it was still filled geekery.
After work (which I left a tad early) I went to see Kristin Cashore speak at a library in Bethesda, MD. Well, I tried to. Google told me it would take about 20 minutes on the metro and I failed to account for either rush hour or my complete lack of direction. I didn't arrive until nearly half an hour after she started speaking, but I did get to see the Q&A. Most of her talk seemed to be about the writing of Bitterblue. I recognized the end of it from some of her blog posts.
The Q&A led to some fun tidbits. Like the fact that Katsa means peenis in Italian, or that Po means butt in German. Some of the names had to be changed for translations. And on the topic of crazy fans, someone (not at the event, this was just a story) asked if Leck had been based on President Obama. Some people just completely fail reading comprehension.
Cashore also confirmed that she wants to write at least one more book in this world. She didn't drop any other hints, but I'm excited for any news that comes next. And I got my book signed. :)
Later that night, Kevin and I went to see The Avengers. It was so awesome. I can't remember the last time I had that much fun in a movie theater. The whole audience was laughing and groaning and cheering. I almost missed Hulk's "puny god" line, because everyone was laughing so hard at the scene that immediately preceded it. I'm definitely going to have to get the super special edition feature packed DVD when it comes out. And I may even need to see the movie again in theaters.
All in all, it was a pretty awesome and very geeky Friday
Showing posts with label geek. Show all posts
Showing posts with label geek. Show all posts
Monday, May 7, 2012
Monday, October 3, 2011
Happy Coincidence
I was on the metro coming home and re-reading American Gods again. I finished The Graveyard Book over the weekend and started Slaughterhouse Five last night. So, naturally, I was thinking to myself "Man, I should really get back to A Feast For Crows" (I was also thinking, "I'd really like to live in Lakeside", but that's beside the point.) I'm still only halfway through the fourth ASOIAF book, even though I started it a month ago. But I hate the Ironborn so much, and all of the Dornish characters still confuse me and there aren't nearly enough Sansa or Arya chapters, so I've been drifting towards other books.
Anyway, I had just recommitted myself to AFFC when the lady sitting next to me needed to get off the train. I let her out and scooted toward the inside and noticed a book sitting between the seat and the wall. I'm all set to call after the woman that she left her book when I see a notice taped to the cover:
Now if you know me, you know I'm not one to pass up an opportunity to read a book. Especially since The Graveyard Book, which I'm still kind of ambivalent about, was based on The Jungle Book. It's like the universe telling me I have to read this book to gain a better understanding of the book I just finished. Or at least a really awesome coincidence.
So now A Feast For Crows has been pushed back another week while I dive into The Jungle Book.
There are just way too many books out there that I want to read.
Anyway, I had just recommitted myself to AFFC when the lady sitting next to me needed to get off the train. I let her out and scooted toward the inside and noticed a book sitting between the seat and the wall. I'm all set to call after the woman that she left her book when I see a notice taped to the cover:
Traveling Book
I'm not Lost - I'm on a journeyI turned the book over and discovered a classic: The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. There are instructions for registering the book on a website to track its journey and pass it on when you've finished.
Now if you know me, you know I'm not one to pass up an opportunity to read a book. Especially since The Graveyard Book, which I'm still kind of ambivalent about, was based on The Jungle Book. It's like the universe telling me I have to read this book to gain a better understanding of the book I just finished. Or at least a really awesome coincidence.
So now A Feast For Crows has been pushed back another week while I dive into The Jungle Book.
There are just way too many books out there that I want to read.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Musty Old Books
Back in the 1940s, after he came home from WWII, my grandfather joined a book club. Once a month he received a gorgeous, classic novel. He was a part of this club for years and accumulated dozens of books. All are wonderfully bound and amazingly cared for. Each one has his name and the date he received it, which adds a nice bit of family history to this set of books.
My mom inherited the books after my grandfather died. They were displayed during my childhood, but after my parents divorced my mom didn't have enough room anymore. Most of the books have been sitting in boxes for the last decade or so. A handful did make it onto shelves, and in high school I picked up Pride and Prejudice.
I remember my mom making me swear up and down that I would take exquisite care of the book. I had always read a lot. My house was packed to overflowing with books and my parents were always willing to buy me more. But this was the first time I really felt reverence for a book. I worshiped it.
These aren't just books. They aren't just old books. They belonged to my grandfather, a man I have exactly one memory of. Reading these books makes me feel a bit more connected to my own family history. They are books that my grandfather read. Not just stories, but the actual books. My mom read them, I've read a few, and I hope that my kids will read them someday.
When Boyfriend and I bought our house, I was able to claim one of the rooms as a library/office for myself. I began hinting heavily that I wanted the books. At my mom's house they're living in boxes, but I have room to display them. A classic collection like this needs to be sitting on a shelf, not in boxes.
As a birthday surprise, my mom sent me two of the books. It's even more special because this copy of Pride and Prejudice was my introduction to Jane Austen, as it was my mom's before me. Now I just need to find spots for these books on my extensive reading list. In the meantime, at least they have a place in my library
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| Gorgeous old book from 1948 |
I remember my mom making me swear up and down that I would take exquisite care of the book. I had always read a lot. My house was packed to overflowing with books and my parents were always willing to buy me more. But this was the first time I really felt reverence for a book. I worshiped it.
These aren't just books. They aren't just old books. They belonged to my grandfather, a man I have exactly one memory of. Reading these books makes me feel a bit more connected to my own family history. They are books that my grandfather read. Not just stories, but the actual books. My mom read them, I've read a few, and I hope that my kids will read them someday.
When Boyfriend and I bought our house, I was able to claim one of the rooms as a library/office for myself. I began hinting heavily that I wanted the books. At my mom's house they're living in boxes, but I have room to display them. A classic collection like this needs to be sitting on a shelf, not in boxes.
As a birthday surprise, my mom sent me two of the books. It's even more special because this copy of Pride and Prejudice was my introduction to Jane Austen, as it was my mom's before me. Now I just need to find spots for these books on my extensive reading list. In the meantime, at least they have a place in my library
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| Awesome birthday present |
Monday, July 18, 2011
I Take It Back
I went on about an ASOIAF fan theory I thought was interesting and had some merit back in this post. I argued that maybe Jon Snow wasn't Ned Stark's bastard son, but was instead Lyanna's son by Rhaegar. I take it back. I was clearly wrong. Now that the Stark kids are starting to have weird wolf powers, and Jon is sharing in those powers, it's clear that they're all siblings.
I still have 20% of A Clash Of Kings left. A review will be coming later, maybe early next week. In the meantime, here's what I think so far:
I still have 20% of A Clash Of Kings left. A review will be coming later, maybe early next week. In the meantime, here's what I think so far:
- Theon is a jerk
- Tyrion is awesome
- Joffrey needs to just die already. Please?
- I feel so bad for Sansa. I want her to escape
- Arya is awesome, as always. I have complete faith in her
- Brienne is pretty cool, too.
- I hope the Starks win the war, but it's not looking good.
- I really want to see what happens with Dany. She's amazing and her story is awesome. But I want her to get her butt to Westeros. I imagine that won't actually happen until the last book, though.
- I refuse to believe that Bran and Rickon are dead. It's not true. They melded with Summer and Shaggy Dog or something. Or Theon's just trying to trick everyone for some awful reason. But they aren't dead.
- Actually, the next chapter is a Theon chapter, so I'm guessing their deaths will actually be confirmed soon. Boo.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Fan Theories and Shipping in A Song of Ice and Fire
First, a definition. Shipping refers to a preference for a certain relationship. If a ship is "canon", that means it actually appears in the source material. Buffy/Spike was canon. Willow/Spike never was, but I still shipped it.
As I'm beginning to read A Clash of Kings, I wanted to record some of my thoughts. I read the first book, A Game of Thrones, in a bit of a vacuum. But when the TV show started, I began to enter the fandom. I started reading reviews of the show, some by people who had read all the books, some by people who were coming to the story with fresh eyes. And this led me to more things. The fandom (and every fandom, really) produces everything from stunning artwork to hilarious mash-ups with Arrested Development.
Watching the TV series also clued me in to details I'd missed on my read of the book. I had never picked up on the fact that Renly is gay until it become rather obvious in his scene with Loras. It's possible this doesn't get hinted at until later books, so maybe I missed nothing. But when the prologue of the second book mentioned Renly's new rainbow guard, with each of seven knights dressed head to toe in one of the colors of the rainbow, I laughed and laughed.
Stepping into the online fandom also clued me in to some popular ships and theories. There are pretty vocal contingents who think that Jon and Arya are destined to be together, or that Jon and Dany would make a great couple. There's a smaller faction that seems to ship Sansa and The Hound, though I also have a vague idea that Sansa develops a crush on The Hound at some point. So I guess that's canon at least.
I kind of want to talk about the two Jon relationships, though, because they involve a theory that I'm considering more of a possibility the more I read. Though that could just be because I kind of want Jon and Arya to get together.
Now you might be thinking, but Jon took a vow of celibacy! Or ew! Jon and Arya are siblings! Well, hear me out. Then you can judge all you want. First off, screw the celibacy thing. There are at least five armies involved in at least two wars by the beginning of the second book. Jon may or may not ultimately uphold his vows (though he does seem to have a lot of that Stark honor). Second, the people in Westeros are no stranger to incest. The twins, Jaime and Cersei have three kids together and Viserys was all set to marry his sister, Dany, until Khal Drogo came along. But, there's also a possibility that Jon and Arya don't share a father.
See, we haven't found out who Jon's mother is. Ned took that secret to his grave. But Ned's also an incredibly honorable man, and when you look at his life and choices, it seems less likely that he cheated on his wife in their first year of marriage. Especially since he straight-up never did it again. In a world where everyone cheats on their spouses with prostitutes and family members, Ned didn't. And when you consider that Rhaegar had kidnapped Lyanna to make her his wife and Ned was one of the last people to see Lyanna before she died.
The theory is that Jon is actually the son of Lyanna Stark and the Mad King's son, Rhaegar Targaryen. Ned took that secret to his grave to protect Jon. Had Robert ever learned Jon's true lineage, he would have had him killed as surely as he was trying to kill Dany. Probably moreso, because he would have hated Jon with the same intensity that Snape hates Harry. I hadn't paid this theory much mind until the last episode of Game of Thrones nodded to it by talking about Lyanna's imprisonment. Given that, and Ned's flat out refusal to discuss Jon's mother with anyone, including Robert his best friend and King, I think this theory is a definite possibility. It could still become canon before the series finishes. I also think it adds a nice twist and an extra layer of deception to everything happening in Westeros.
If this is true, it would mean that Jon and Arya are cousins, not siblings. At least that's a step in the right direction. They're still blood relatives, but marrying cousins was a bit more common back in the day (and is still legal in some places). However, this theory also plays right into the Jon/Dany shippers. This theory means that Jon is a dragon as much as a wolf. The Targaryens have been inbreeding for generations because of their blood pride. If there's a chance that Dany can marry another dragon and make another generation of baby dragons, I'm sure she'll take it.
This is all just speculation, of course. I've only read one book, and I could very well be proven wrong. But Arya is now on her way to the Wall. She's supposed to get dropped off at Winterfell, but I hope she makes it all the way to the Wall and reunites with Jon. Then again, he's heading north to fight thezombies White Walkers, so he probably wouldn't even be there when she arrives.
I should just go read the book.
As I'm beginning to read A Clash of Kings, I wanted to record some of my thoughts. I read the first book, A Game of Thrones, in a bit of a vacuum. But when the TV show started, I began to enter the fandom. I started reading reviews of the show, some by people who had read all the books, some by people who were coming to the story with fresh eyes. And this led me to more things. The fandom (and every fandom, really) produces everything from stunning artwork to hilarious mash-ups with Arrested Development.
 |
| Check out the rest of Michael Komark's art |
Stepping into the online fandom also clued me in to some popular ships and theories. There are pretty vocal contingents who think that Jon and Arya are destined to be together, or that Jon and Dany would make a great couple. There's a smaller faction that seems to ship Sansa and The Hound, though I also have a vague idea that Sansa develops a crush on The Hound at some point. So I guess that's canon at least.
I kind of want to talk about the two Jon relationships, though, because they involve a theory that I'm considering more of a possibility the more I read. Though that could just be because I kind of want Jon and Arya to get together.
Now you might be thinking, but Jon took a vow of celibacy! Or ew! Jon and Arya are siblings! Well, hear me out. Then you can judge all you want. First off, screw the celibacy thing. There are at least five armies involved in at least two wars by the beginning of the second book. Jon may or may not ultimately uphold his vows (though he does seem to have a lot of that Stark honor). Second, the people in Westeros are no stranger to incest. The twins, Jaime and Cersei have three kids together and Viserys was all set to marry his sister, Dany, until Khal Drogo came along. But, there's also a possibility that Jon and Arya don't share a father.
See, we haven't found out who Jon's mother is. Ned took that secret to his grave. But Ned's also an incredibly honorable man, and when you look at his life and choices, it seems less likely that he cheated on his wife in their first year of marriage. Especially since he straight-up never did it again. In a world where everyone cheats on their spouses with prostitutes and family members, Ned didn't. And when you consider that Rhaegar had kidnapped Lyanna to make her his wife and Ned was one of the last people to see Lyanna before she died.
The theory is that Jon is actually the son of Lyanna Stark and the Mad King's son, Rhaegar Targaryen. Ned took that secret to his grave to protect Jon. Had Robert ever learned Jon's true lineage, he would have had him killed as surely as he was trying to kill Dany. Probably moreso, because he would have hated Jon with the same intensity that Snape hates Harry. I hadn't paid this theory much mind until the last episode of Game of Thrones nodded to it by talking about Lyanna's imprisonment. Given that, and Ned's flat out refusal to discuss Jon's mother with anyone, including Robert his best friend and King, I think this theory is a definite possibility. It could still become canon before the series finishes. I also think it adds a nice twist and an extra layer of deception to everything happening in Westeros.
If this is true, it would mean that Jon and Arya are cousins, not siblings. At least that's a step in the right direction. They're still blood relatives, but marrying cousins was a bit more common back in the day (and is still legal in some places). However, this theory also plays right into the Jon/Dany shippers. This theory means that Jon is a dragon as much as a wolf. The Targaryens have been inbreeding for generations because of their blood pride. If there's a chance that Dany can marry another dragon and make another generation of baby dragons, I'm sure she'll take it.
This is all just speculation, of course. I've only read one book, and I could very well be proven wrong. But Arya is now on her way to the Wall. She's supposed to get dropped off at Winterfell, but I hope she makes it all the way to the Wall and reunites with Jon. Then again, he's heading north to fight the
I should just go read the book.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Random Geek Stuff
First there's this video. Except insert Eliza Dushku for S Michelle Gellar.
Apparently American Gods got picked up for SIX seasons on HBO. Tom Hanks' production company is funding this with a huge amount of money. But I'm not sure how they're going to turn one novel into six seasons of television, 10-12 hour-long episodes each. Unless this is true
It's a trap door in your floor that leads to a mini wine cellar. Someday when I'm rich...
She's such a dork. It's adorable.
Apparently American Gods got picked up for SIX seasons on HBO. Tom Hanks' production company is funding this with a huge amount of money. But I'm not sure how they're going to turn one novel into six seasons of television, 10-12 hour-long episodes each. Unless this is true
I really hope this is true. And maybe one season will be dedicated to Anansi Boys as well.
I've been watching a whole lot of Supernatural lately. Like, a lot. It's basically two hot guys driving around the country slaying demons. It's very fun and kind of addicting. The guys are really hot. And it's a surprisingly smart show when it comes to knowing the ins and outs of the genre. It's less smart about women, but that's okay. It's mostly about the guys and the demons.
I've been re-reading the Sookie Stackhouse books in preparation for the True Blood premiere. It's in two weeks; I can't wait! I'm also planning on picking up the next book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series as soon as Game of Thrones ends (finale next week). I thought there was a nice bit of symmetry to that.
Finally, I saw this and kind of want one:
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Buffy's Eighth Season
Here be spoilers.
I finally got the last comic book in the Buffy Season 8 series and read it last night. Overall, I have to say, I think this season was kind of a mess. It turns out Joss Whedon doesn't do so well with an unlimited budget (and this has me slightly worried about The Avengers). He needs something to reign him in. Otherwise you get Angel and Buffy with the dimension ripping sex giving birth to a new universe. No one needed that.
Parts of this season were just ridiculous. The big bad was named Twilight, which they swear was a coincidence. I don't buy it. Harmony brought the vampires "out of the coffin" ::cough::TrueBlood::cough:: Meanwhile vampires were seen as good guys with the world condemning the slayers for genocide. I don't think that's how it would play out. I'm also not sure how this ties into Angel's 6th season, since he seems pretty far past redemption now. And I didn't remember anything about Spike's arc in either season, though I think he had his own set of comics. Hmmm, I'll have to go back and re-read some things.
That said, there were some things that I liked. Mostly little character moments. I'm getting behind the Xander/Dawn paring. It really does make sense, and they're kind of adorable together. Oz got closure and his happily ever after with a wife and kid. Willow finally dumped Kennedy. Faith seemed to come into her own. It's all those little character things that really make Buffy special.
This does seem to be a lesson Joss Whedon learned. He dialed things back a lot at the end of the season. Buffy has managed to cut off the slayer line once and for all. Most of the slayers are just pissed at her and don't want to be slayers anymore. So she's living in San Francisco, working as a waitress, and going back to basics. One vampire at a time.
Despite this mess, I'm excited for the 9th season. I feel like a similar thing happened on Angel. Joss let things get a bit out of hand with the soap opera aspects of the 4th season and the constant cliff hangars. The show lost the ability to do one-offs. But then they hit the reset button, wiped everyone's memory, and had a really good 5th season. I think something similar could happen with Buffy's ninth season. Hopefully Joss and Co have figured out that just because they *can* tear the universe apart doesn't mean the *should*.
I am excited to go back and re-read the entire eighth season now that I own all of it. I want to see how it stands up as a whole. My guess is that, like Angel's 4th season, it will hold up a bit better on the re-read, now that I know how it ends.
I finally got the last comic book in the Buffy Season 8 series and read it last night. Overall, I have to say, I think this season was kind of a mess. It turns out Joss Whedon doesn't do so well with an unlimited budget (and this has me slightly worried about The Avengers). He needs something to reign him in. Otherwise you get Angel and Buffy with the dimension ripping sex giving birth to a new universe. No one needed that.
Parts of this season were just ridiculous. The big bad was named Twilight, which they swear was a coincidence. I don't buy it. Harmony brought the vampires "out of the coffin" ::cough::TrueBlood::cough:: Meanwhile vampires were seen as good guys with the world condemning the slayers for genocide. I don't think that's how it would play out. I'm also not sure how this ties into Angel's 6th season, since he seems pretty far past redemption now. And I didn't remember anything about Spike's arc in either season, though I think he had his own set of comics. Hmmm, I'll have to go back and re-read some things.
That said, there were some things that I liked. Mostly little character moments. I'm getting behind the Xander/Dawn paring. It really does make sense, and they're kind of adorable together. Oz got closure and his happily ever after with a wife and kid. Willow finally dumped Kennedy. Faith seemed to come into her own. It's all those little character things that really make Buffy special.
This does seem to be a lesson Joss Whedon learned. He dialed things back a lot at the end of the season. Buffy has managed to cut off the slayer line once and for all. Most of the slayers are just pissed at her and don't want to be slayers anymore. So she's living in San Francisco, working as a waitress, and going back to basics. One vampire at a time.
Despite this mess, I'm excited for the 9th season. I feel like a similar thing happened on Angel. Joss let things get a bit out of hand with the soap opera aspects of the 4th season and the constant cliff hangars. The show lost the ability to do one-offs. But then they hit the reset button, wiped everyone's memory, and had a really good 5th season. I think something similar could happen with Buffy's ninth season. Hopefully Joss and Co have figured out that just because they *can* tear the universe apart doesn't mean the *should*.
I am excited to go back and re-read the entire eighth season now that I own all of it. I want to see how it stands up as a whole. My guess is that, like Angel's 4th season, it will hold up a bit better on the re-read, now that I know how it ends.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
One is Silver and the Other's Gold
It recently came to my attention that I've now been living in Virginia for over a year and have yet to make a single friend. Which sounds sad when you actually come out and say it. It's not that I don't have any friends, it's just that I don't have any friends here. Mostly, I'd rather read or watch TV than try to be social. I can go several days without craving human contact, which means that my motivation to meet new people is pretty low. But my social life lately basically revolves around Boyfriend and his friends and family, and that isn't entirely fair to Boyfriend.
The problem is that making friends is hard. And exhausting. And terrifying. I have to find a place to go, work up the energy to go out, figure out how to introduce myself to someone, make small talk, and eventually exchange contact information. Then I have to wait for them to call me or somehow figure out a way to call them and invite them to something. Which involves coming up with an activity I think might be mutually enjoyable and trying to find that balance between calling too soon and waiting too long. And every single one of these steps requires a ton of energy and a million opportunities for me to embarrass myself and I usually end up paralyzed by social anxiety and decide to just watch some TV instead. Buffy can't make fun of me.
Realizing that I've been stuck in this pattern for over a year sent me spiraling into a bit of a depression, hence the recent increase in book reviews. But moping around won't make me any friends. And those hypothetical future friends will be worth the ridiculous amount of anxiety I must overcome to meet them. Right?
Boyfriend is going to be out of town for the entire month of June, and I'm going to use that time to try and meet people. This has not gone well in the past. I left an alumni happy hour in tears because I couldn't think of one single thing to say to anyone. I occasionally go out with my co-workers, but usually end up listening to conversations instead of joining them. I joined a book club but didn't want to talk about the same things as the other members. I tried to join a ballet class, but I only made it to one class because getting home and eating dinner before 7 consistently is really freaking hard.
But the time has come to pick myself up and try again. I discovered a board game night at a local game store that looks feasible. They have weekly meetings that go until 10, so I'm making an effort to go to that every week.
I actually kicked off this Make New Friends project last night when I inadvertently scheduled myself for two social activities. A coworker was leaving to join Teach For America which necessitated a happy hour, and I had agreed to attend my first game night.
The happy hour was pretty much a failure. I got a glass of wine and tried to join a conversation, any conversation. Eventually three separate conversations had sprung up around me, and none of them involved me. I tried to at least pay attention to one so I could jump in. But I have so little in common with the people I work with and such a vast inability to operate in a group setting that this never happened.
I'm great one-on-one. But throw another person or two into the conversation and it takes most of my mental capability to follow the conversation, try and come up with something to say, and double check that it's not stupid or awkward. This process takes long enough that I usually miss my opportunity to speak. Sometimes I can keep up for a couple of minutes, but it never lasts. It's much easier for me to express myself in writing, since I have time to read through and edit myself a few times before anyone else sees it. I can complete ideas without being interrupted and follow my train of thought wherever it leads.
Anyone who's ever gotten high with me can tell you that I stop talking. I simply lose the ability to both follow the conversation around me and contribute to it. And the THC-induced paranoia only increases my natural anxiety that I will say or do something stupid. Which is ridiculous when everyone is high and doing/saying stupid things, but there you go. The self-hatred this situation inspires in me is a big part of why I no longer smoke. (The fact that I would also lose my job helps me maintain that decision.)
Unfortunately, that same self-hatred is now causing me to avoid social situations altogether. That's not a good thing.
Anyway, the happy hour was a bust, but game night was better. I learned a new game with a complicated enough strategy that it carried the conversation through the night. I didn't have to invent small talk, because I could ask what might happen if I played here instead of there. I met three people and exchanged emails with one. Less than an hour after I got home, he sent me information about a few other board game nights in the area. So I'm calling this one a success. And I think I actually managed to make a friend. Good conversation + shared interest + invitation to future activity = friend, right?
I think the board game night is going to be more successful than any of my previous endeavors. I didn't find myself awkwardly at a loss during conversation, and I didn't want to smack anyone I met. And it fits into my schedule pretty nicely. So I'll keep this up and see where it leads.
The problem is that making friends is hard. And exhausting. And terrifying. I have to find a place to go, work up the energy to go out, figure out how to introduce myself to someone, make small talk, and eventually exchange contact information. Then I have to wait for them to call me or somehow figure out a way to call them and invite them to something. Which involves coming up with an activity I think might be mutually enjoyable and trying to find that balance between calling too soon and waiting too long. And every single one of these steps requires a ton of energy and a million opportunities for me to embarrass myself and I usually end up paralyzed by social anxiety and decide to just watch some TV instead. Buffy can't make fun of me.
Realizing that I've been stuck in this pattern for over a year sent me spiraling into a bit of a depression, hence the recent increase in book reviews. But moping around won't make me any friends. And those hypothetical future friends will be worth the ridiculous amount of anxiety I must overcome to meet them. Right?
Boyfriend is going to be out of town for the entire month of June, and I'm going to use that time to try and meet people. This has not gone well in the past. I left an alumni happy hour in tears because I couldn't think of one single thing to say to anyone. I occasionally go out with my co-workers, but usually end up listening to conversations instead of joining them. I joined a book club but didn't want to talk about the same things as the other members. I tried to join a ballet class, but I only made it to one class because getting home and eating dinner before 7 consistently is really freaking hard.
But the time has come to pick myself up and try again. I discovered a board game night at a local game store that looks feasible. They have weekly meetings that go until 10, so I'm making an effort to go to that every week.
I actually kicked off this Make New Friends project last night when I inadvertently scheduled myself for two social activities. A coworker was leaving to join Teach For America which necessitated a happy hour, and I had agreed to attend my first game night.
The happy hour was pretty much a failure. I got a glass of wine and tried to join a conversation, any conversation. Eventually three separate conversations had sprung up around me, and none of them involved me. I tried to at least pay attention to one so I could jump in. But I have so little in common with the people I work with and such a vast inability to operate in a group setting that this never happened.
I'm great one-on-one. But throw another person or two into the conversation and it takes most of my mental capability to follow the conversation, try and come up with something to say, and double check that it's not stupid or awkward. This process takes long enough that I usually miss my opportunity to speak. Sometimes I can keep up for a couple of minutes, but it never lasts. It's much easier for me to express myself in writing, since I have time to read through and edit myself a few times before anyone else sees it. I can complete ideas without being interrupted and follow my train of thought wherever it leads.
Anyone who's ever gotten high with me can tell you that I stop talking. I simply lose the ability to both follow the conversation around me and contribute to it. And the THC-induced paranoia only increases my natural anxiety that I will say or do something stupid. Which is ridiculous when everyone is high and doing/saying stupid things, but there you go. The self-hatred this situation inspires in me is a big part of why I no longer smoke. (The fact that I would also lose my job helps me maintain that decision.)
Unfortunately, that same self-hatred is now causing me to avoid social situations altogether. That's not a good thing.
Anyway, the happy hour was a bust, but game night was better. I learned a new game with a complicated enough strategy that it carried the conversation through the night. I didn't have to invent small talk, because I could ask what might happen if I played here instead of there. I met three people and exchanged emails with one. Less than an hour after I got home, he sent me information about a few other board game nights in the area. So I'm calling this one a success. And I think I actually managed to make a friend. Good conversation + shared interest + invitation to future activity = friend, right?
I think the board game night is going to be more successful than any of my previous endeavors. I didn't find myself awkwardly at a loss during conversation, and I didn't want to smack anyone I met. And it fits into my schedule pretty nicely. So I'll keep this up and see where it leads.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Buffy Drinking Game
Found these rules for a Buffy Drinking Game. Who wants to play with me?
- Whenever you see pleather
- Every time Xander says something “pithy”
- Every time everyone’s deep in research
- Every time Cordelia struts
- Whenever Buffy restyles her hair
- Whenever Angel is ‘dark and broody’
- Whenever furniture is broken
- Whenever the sun is referenced
- Whenever a vampire inexplicably travels during the daytime
- Whenever there’s a mass crowd of people running
- Whenever the cast has a calm peaceful dialogue in a cemetery
- Whenever someone says “Vamp”
- Whenever a cast member adds a “Y” to the end of an adjective creating a new word
- Whenever Giles removes his glasses
- Whenever Buffy pouts
- Every time a political agenda is presented
- Whenever Buffy touches her lover’s face
- Whenever Buffy misses a scholastic event
- Whenever overwhelming symbolism is portrayed
Monday, May 9, 2011
Pale Blue Dot
Honestly, I have two more book reviews in my drafts and nothing else. I figure I should break things up a bit. I really like this image and the quote that goes along with it. Enjoy!
Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you've ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar", every "supreme leader", every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there - on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.I also think this quote pairs nicely with one from Sandman, spoken by Destruction:
The earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds.
Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.
The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.
It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known
-Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot, 1994
I like the stars. It's the illusion of permanence, I think. I mean, they're always flaring up and caving in and going out. But from here, I can pretend.Sure makes you feel small
-Destruction, Brief Lives
Monday, April 25, 2011
This is My Brain on Batman
Here's a quick peek into how my brain works. This is how I discover new media and end up spending far too much time and money consuming books and TV shows.
I saw a tweet a few days ago that Eliza Dusku had been cast as Catwoman. What? I thought Wasn't Anne Hathaway cast as Catwoman? But shortly after that, I saw the story repeated on The Mary Sue. This isn't Chris Nolan's Batman. It's Batman: Year One. And it has Katee Sackhoff! Another reason to watch this version.
Well it turns out this incarnation of Batman will be animated. So I won't actually get to see Eliza or Katee kicking butt. But it's still worth checking out.
And it's based on a comic book (Batman: Year One) written by Frank Miller (of Sin City and 300). I've always liked Batman. (Who doesn't?) But, I'm a bit weird. I prefer the campy movies with Val Kilmer and George Clooney.
Honestly, George Clooney is my Batman. Batman and Robin remains my favorite Batman movie of all the Batman movies. Probably because it was the first one I saw. Plus Uma Thurman and the Governator. That was a great movie.
I never saw the Adam West TV show so I can't speak to it. I don't like the new ones as much because Christian Bale's upper lip bothers me.
Seriously, have you seen this man? It's like he's missing all the teeth on the top and his upper lip is just hanging there like a lonely curtain hiding his shame.
But then he grew a mustache. And his hotness factor went up a lot. Seriously. He should win the "face most improved by a mustache" award
See how much hotter he is? But I don't think he has the mustache in the new movie. (Which has Jospeh Gordon Levitt, OMG! Swoon)
I saw a tweet a few days ago that Eliza Dusku had been cast as Catwoman. What? I thought Wasn't Anne Hathaway cast as Catwoman? But shortly after that, I saw the story repeated on The Mary Sue. This isn't Chris Nolan's Batman. It's Batman: Year One. And it has Katee Sackhoff! Another reason to watch this version.
Well it turns out this incarnation of Batman will be animated. So I won't actually get to see Eliza or Katee kicking butt. But it's still worth checking out.
And it's based on a comic book (Batman: Year One) written by Frank Miller (of Sin City and 300). I've always liked Batman. (Who doesn't?) But, I'm a bit weird. I prefer the campy movies with Val Kilmer and George Clooney.
Honestly, George Clooney is my Batman. Batman and Robin remains my favorite Batman movie of all the Batman movies. Probably because it was the first one I saw. Plus Uma Thurman and the Governator. That was a great movie.
I never saw the Adam West TV show so I can't speak to it. I don't like the new ones as much because Christian Bale's upper lip bothers me.
Seriously, have you seen this man? It's like he's missing all the teeth on the top and his upper lip is just hanging there like a lonely curtain hiding his shame.
 |
| I don't know why this bothers me so much |
But then he grew a mustache. And his hotness factor went up a lot. Seriously. He should win the "face most improved by a mustache" award
 |
| Best mustache ever |
Anyway, this Batman (Batman: Year One) doesn't have him. And even if it did, it's animated. So I wouldn't spend the entire movie distracted by his weird upper lip. But more importantly, it has Eliza Dushku and Katee Sackhoff. And it's based on a comic book. And I must now buy that comic book.
Because who doesn't like Batman? Or Frank Miller? And I can't watch a movie without reading the book first. This is based on a rule my mom made up when I was eight and reading The Secret Garden. But I totally internalized it. And now I must buy and read the comic book and then seek out and watch the animated adaptation. Then I'll be able to compare and contrast the two stories. And I'll have a whole new perspective of Batman.
All because of Eliza Dushku.
My mind is kind of a scary place.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Geeking Out About Kings and Gods
HBO appears to be going after the geek demographic. They started True Blood several years ago, which was a smash success and begins its fourth season in June. This Sunday marks the premiere of The Game of Thrones, based on George R R Martin's book series A Song of Ice and Fire. These books are epic and long, and I've only read the first one, but I look forward to reading the rest. I'm sort of holding off until after the TV series starts, though. Then, they announced today that they bought the rights to Neil Gaiman's American Gods and are going to produce a mini-series based on the novel, with Mr. Gaiman signed on as one of the writers.
Be still my geeky heart.
Anyway, it worked. I convinced Boyfriend to add HBO to our Verizon subscription (by promising to pay for it), and I can't wait to see these stories translated to the small screen (which is actually pretty big these days).
American Gods was basically my introduction to Neil Gaiman. I'd read the first Sandman graphic novel, Preludes and Nocturnes, and was saving up to buy the rest of the series. Then an ex-boyfriend gave me American Gods because he thought I'd like it, and he was right. I finished the book before I realized that it was written by the same guy as Sandman and immediately started seeking out his other work.
This novel isn't for everyone. It's a slow burn book. There's more introspection and philosophizing than action and adventure. It's based on the premise that all the immigrants brought their gods to America with them. Over the years, those gods have been lost or forgotten. They've been replaced by the newer gods of television and telephone (now being replaced by the gods of Google, Netflix, and Facebook, of course). And the old gods are pissed. They're looking for a fight. One last moment of shining glory before they are forgotten completely.
The protagonist is a man named Shadow, a former convict. He is released from jail just in time for his wife's funeral, after which the mysterious Mr. Wednesday (Norse god Odin) offers him a job as an assistant. Together they travel across America, gathering up the old gods and convincing them to fight in the impending war. As I said, the story is slow. But I'm in love with the premise. I think it does a lot better on a second read through.
I've been meaning to re-read American Gods anyway. I recently discovered that a version was released in 2005 with 40 extra pages. My copy is from 2001, so I'm anxious to know what I'm missing. Boyfriend kindly went and bought it, but he's reading it now. I'll have to wait until he finishes. Even though I could probably read the entire thing before he got around to picking it up again. Oh well. If you've seen my currently reading/to read list, you'll know that I have plenty to keep me occupied in the meantime. As long as I get around to it before the series premieres on HBO. Which, let's be honest, is probably years away and might not even happen. (Fingers crossed it does)
In the meantime, I'll leave you with one of the most famous and oft-quoted passages from the books, Sam's "I believe" speech, which is available on a t-shirt
Seriously guys, dragons make everything better.
Game of Thrones also has a bunch of strong female characters. There are queens and princesses telling their story right alongside the kings and princes. And all of them are interesting, fleshed out characters. I really can't wait to see how this translates to the screen. Here's a preview:
Winter is coming...
Be still my geeky heart.
Anyway, it worked. I convinced Boyfriend to add HBO to our Verizon subscription (by promising to pay for it), and I can't wait to see these stories translated to the small screen (which is actually pretty big these days).
American Gods was basically my introduction to Neil Gaiman. I'd read the first Sandman graphic novel, Preludes and Nocturnes, and was saving up to buy the rest of the series. Then an ex-boyfriend gave me American Gods because he thought I'd like it, and he was right. I finished the book before I realized that it was written by the same guy as Sandman and immediately started seeking out his other work.
This novel isn't for everyone. It's a slow burn book. There's more introspection and philosophizing than action and adventure. It's based on the premise that all the immigrants brought their gods to America with them. Over the years, those gods have been lost or forgotten. They've been replaced by the newer gods of television and telephone (now being replaced by the gods of Google, Netflix, and Facebook, of course). And the old gods are pissed. They're looking for a fight. One last moment of shining glory before they are forgotten completely.
The protagonist is a man named Shadow, a former convict. He is released from jail just in time for his wife's funeral, after which the mysterious Mr. Wednesday (Norse god Odin) offers him a job as an assistant. Together they travel across America, gathering up the old gods and convincing them to fight in the impending war. As I said, the story is slow. But I'm in love with the premise. I think it does a lot better on a second read through.
I've been meaning to re-read American Gods anyway. I recently discovered that a version was released in 2005 with 40 extra pages. My copy is from 2001, so I'm anxious to know what I'm missing. Boyfriend kindly went and bought it, but he's reading it now. I'll have to wait until he finishes. Even though I could probably read the entire thing before he got around to picking it up again. Oh well. If you've seen my currently reading/to read list, you'll know that I have plenty to keep me occupied in the meantime. As long as I get around to it before the series premieres on HBO. Which, let's be honest, is probably years away and might not even happen. (Fingers crossed it does)
In the meantime, I'll leave you with one of the most famous and oft-quoted passages from the books, Sam's "I believe" speech, which is available on a t-shirt
I can believe things that are true and I can believe things that aren't true and I can believe things where nobody knows if they're true or not. I can believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny and Marilyn Monroe and the Beatles and Elvis and Mister Ed. Listen — I believe that people are perfectible, that knowledge is infinite, that the world is run by secret banking cartels and is visited by aliens on a regular basis, nice ones that look like wrinkledly lemurs and bad ones who mutilate cattle and want our water and our women. I believe that the future sucks and I believe that the future rocks and I believe that one day White Buffalo Woman is going to come back and kick everyone's ass. I believe that all men are just overgrown boys with deep problems communicating and that the decline in good sex in America is coincident with the decline in drive-in movie theaters from state to state. I believe that all politicians are unprincipled crooks and I still believe that they are better than the alternative. I believe that California is going to sink into the sea when the big one comes, while Florida is going to dissolve into madness and alligators and toxic waste. I believe that antibacterial soap is destroying our resistance to dirt and disease so that one day we'll all be wiped out by the common cold like the Martians in War of the Worlds. I believe that the greatest poets of the last century were Edith Sitwell and Don Marquis, that jade is dried dragon sperm, and that thousands of years ago in a former life I was a one-armed Siberian shaman. I believe that mankind's destiny lies in the stars. I believe that candy really did taste better when I was a kid, that it's aerodynamically impossible for a bumblebee to fly, that light is a wave and a particle, that there's a cat in a box somewhere who's alive and dead at the same time (although if they don't ever open the box to feed it it'll eventually just be two different kinds of dead), and that there are stars in the universe billions of years older than the universe itself. I believe in a personal god who cares about me and worries and oversees everything I do. I believe in an impersonal god who set the universe in motion and went off to hang with her girlfriends and doesn't even know that I'm alive. I believe in an empty and godless universe of causal chaos, background noise, and sheer blind luck. I believe that anyone who says that sex is overrated just hasn't done it properly. I believe that anyone who claims to know what's going on will lie about the little things too. I believe in absolute honesty and sensible social lies. I believe in a woman's right to choose, a baby's right to live, that while all human life is sacred there's nothing wrong with the death penalty if you can trust the legal system implicitly, and that no one but a moron would ever trust the legal system. I believe that life is a game, that life is a cruel joke, and that life is what happens when you're alive and that you might as well lie back and enjoy it.Also, allow me to geek out because Game of Thrones premieres this weekend! This book was awesome. There are a lot of characters, which can be a bit of a brain stretch. The chapters switch off perspectives between several characters and locations. But you end up with a whole lot of threads weaving together into an epic political intrigue. With dragons (eventually).
Seriously guys, dragons make everything better.
Game of Thrones also has a bunch of strong female characters. There are queens and princesses telling their story right alongside the kings and princes. And all of them are interesting, fleshed out characters. I really can't wait to see how this translates to the screen. Here's a preview:
So much intrigue! Here's a slightly less cryptic trailer:
That first scene was lifted straight from the book. And the landscapes! It all looks so gorgeous and wonderful. Plus, Sean Bean!
Winter is coming...
Thursday, April 14, 2011
30 Days of Buffy: Day 30
Day 30: What You Think Made Buffy So Great
The best thing about Buffy, the thing that kept me coming back week after week and has me continuing to watch the show, is the characters. There are so many wonderful, three-dimensional characters. All of them are people, with hopes and dreams and strengths and flaws. They make good decisions and bad decisions. And have to deal with the consequences.
The characters on Buffy are people I would like to hang out with. And I think that interesting characters are the key to any successful show.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
30 Days of Buffy: Day 29
Day 29: Episode You Hate That Everyone Else Loves
This is especially tough. There aren't that many episodes that I hate. I guess I'm a bit of a Buffy apologist. There are episodes that aren't as good. But I tend to be in agreement with the critics about those. So I went and found a site that gave each episode a grade, and grabbed one that had received an 'A' that I felt was undeserved.
And that episode is Revelations.
It's not that this is a bad episode. But it's not one of my favorites. Faith and Xander are a bit too willing to kill Angel. This feels out of character for Faith, at least to me. Xander catching Buffy and Angel making out is a bit too convenient.
I don't know. I guess I'd consider this an average Buffy episode (and even bad Buffy episodes are pretty good). I'd probably give it a B- instead of an A. So there you go.
I'm such a bad hater.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
30 Days of Buffy: Day 28
Day 28: Character You Love To Hate
I adore Angelus. He is so much cooler than Angel. His complete lack on conscious. His twisted obsession with Buffy. His leather pants. We'll just ignore that thing he calls an Irish accent.
Angelus is a great villain. As a character, he's far more interesting than Angel. That Angel could revert back to his soulless self at any point adds to the intrigue. Really, he's just a wonderful character. I love pretty much any episode he's in
Monday, April 11, 2011
30 Days of Buffy: Day 27
Day 27: Cutest Moment
The first episode of the second season opens with Willow and Xander walking through the cemetery, eating ice cream and playing "guess the movie". Xander eventually dabs Willow's nose with ice cream and feeds her a line from Witness. She guesses correctly of course and gives him the most adorable look as she informs him that her nose his cold. He goes to lick it off, she dodges and giggles and they lean in for a kiss.
It gets ruined by the appearance of a vampire and Buffy. But up until then, it's completely adorable.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
30 Days of Buffy: Day 26
Day 26: Favorite Scooby Moment
This one's tough because there are so many good ones. The Scoobies hanging out are, like, half the show. I think my favorite might be when they're all hanging out watching the musical soap opera because they don't have enough money to go to the Bronze. It's so sweet and one of the few times they aren't worried about saving the world from evil
Saturday, April 9, 2011
30 Days of Buffy: Day 25
Day 25: Favorite Buffyverse Saying
Giles: God, every day here is the same
Buffy: Bright, sunny, beautiful. However can we escape this torment?
~Teacher's Pet
Buffy: If the apocalypse comes, beep me.
~Never Kill a Boy on the First Date
Willow: I mean, why else would she be acting like such a b-i-t-c-h?
Giles: Willow, I think we're all a little too old to be spelling things out.
Xander: A bitca?
~When She Was Bad
Spike: I was actually at Woodstock. That was a weird gig. I fed off a flower person, and then I spent the next six hours watching my hand move
~School Hard
Buffy: Does it ever get easy?
Giles: You mean life?
Buffy: Yeah. Does it get easy?
Giles: What do you want me to say?
Buffy:Lie to me.
Giles: Yes, it's terribly simple. The good guys are always stalwart and true, the bad guys are easily distinguished by their pointy horns or black hats, and, uh, we always defeat them and save the day. No one ever dies, and everybody lives happily ever after.
Buffy: Liar
~Lie To Me
Whistler: Bottom line is, even if you see them coming, you're not ready for the big moments. No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does. So, what are we, helpless? Puppets? Nah. The big moments are gonna come, you can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that count. That's when you find out who you are.
~Becoming
Buffy: I hate you
Spike: And I'm all you've got
~Becoming
Angelus: No weapons, no friends, no hope. Take all that away, and what's left?
Buffy: Me
~Becoming
Spike: You're not friends. You'll never be friends. You'll be in love 'til it kills you both. You'll fight, and you'll shag, and you'll hate each other 'til it makes you quiver, but you'll never be friends. Love isn't brains, children, it's blood -- blood screaming inside you to work its will. I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it.
~Lover's Walk
Willow: Bored now
~The Wish, Doppelgangland, Villain
Willow: ...And I think I'm kinda gay
~Dopplelgangland, Tabula Rasa
Buffy: You had sex with Giles? You had sex with Giles?! On the hood of a police car? Twice?
~Earshot
Willow: What are you doing?
Oz: Panicking.
~Graduation Day
Xander: Who's a little fear demon? Come on! Who's a little fear demon?
Giles: Don't taunt the fear demon
Xander: Why? Can he hurt me?
Giles: No, it's just tacky
~Fear, Itself
Anya: To commemorate a past event, you kill and eat an animal. It's a ritual sacrifice... with pie.
~Pangs
Spike: I just can't take all this namby-pamby boo-hooing about the bloody Indians.
Willow: Uh, the preferred term is-
Spike: You won. All right? You came in and you killed them and you took their land. That's what conquering nations do. That's what Caesar did, and he's not going around saying, "I came, I conquered, I felt really bad about it." The history of the world is not people making friends. You had better weapons, and you massacred them. End of story.
~Pangs
Giles: It's the end of the world.
Buffy, Willow, Xander: Again?
~Doomed
Faith as Buffy: You can't do that. It's wrong.
~Who Are You?
Spike: My heart expands. Tis grown a bulge in it. Inspired by your beauty effulgent
~Fool For Love
Anya: But I don't understand! I don't understand how this all happens. How we go through this. I knew her, and then she's— there's just a body, and I don't understand why she just can't get back in it and not be dead... anymore! It's stupid! It's mortal and stupid! And... and Xander's crying and not talking, and... and I was having fruit punch, and I thought, well, Joyce will never have any more fruit punch, ever, and she'll never have eggs, or yawn, or brush her hair, not ever, and no one will explain to me why!
~The Body
Buffy: The hardest thing in this world is to live in it
~The Gift
Spike: Every night I save you
~After Life
Andrew: Timothy Dalton should win an Oscar and beat Sean Connery over the head with it!
~Life Serial
Buffy: If the apocalypse comes, beep me.
~Never Kill a Boy on the First Date
Willow: I mean, why else would she be acting like such a b-i-t-c-h?
Giles: Willow, I think we're all a little too old to be spelling things out.
Xander: A bitca?
~When She Was Bad
Spike: I was actually at Woodstock. That was a weird gig. I fed off a flower person, and then I spent the next six hours watching my hand move
~School Hard
Buffy: Does it ever get easy?
Giles: You mean life?
Buffy: Yeah. Does it get easy?
Giles: What do you want me to say?
Buffy:Lie to me.
Giles: Yes, it's terribly simple. The good guys are always stalwart and true, the bad guys are easily distinguished by their pointy horns or black hats, and, uh, we always defeat them and save the day. No one ever dies, and everybody lives happily ever after.
Buffy: Liar
~Lie To Me
Whistler: Bottom line is, even if you see them coming, you're not ready for the big moments. No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does. So, what are we, helpless? Puppets? Nah. The big moments are gonna come, you can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that count. That's when you find out who you are.
~Becoming
Buffy: I hate you
Spike: And I'm all you've got
~Becoming
Angelus: No weapons, no friends, no hope. Take all that away, and what's left?
Buffy: Me
~Becoming
Spike: You're not friends. You'll never be friends. You'll be in love 'til it kills you both. You'll fight, and you'll shag, and you'll hate each other 'til it makes you quiver, but you'll never be friends. Love isn't brains, children, it's blood -- blood screaming inside you to work its will. I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it.
~Lover's Walk
Willow: Bored now
~The Wish, Doppelgangland, Villain
Willow: ...And I think I'm kinda gay
~Dopplelgangland, Tabula Rasa
Buffy: You had sex with Giles? You had sex with Giles?! On the hood of a police car? Twice?
~Earshot
Willow: What are you doing?
Oz: Panicking.
~Graduation Day
Xander: Who's a little fear demon? Come on! Who's a little fear demon?
Giles: Don't taunt the fear demon
Xander: Why? Can he hurt me?
Giles: No, it's just tacky
~Fear, Itself
Anya: To commemorate a past event, you kill and eat an animal. It's a ritual sacrifice... with pie.
~Pangs
Spike: I just can't take all this namby-pamby boo-hooing about the bloody Indians.
Willow: Uh, the preferred term is-
Spike: You won. All right? You came in and you killed them and you took their land. That's what conquering nations do. That's what Caesar did, and he's not going around saying, "I came, I conquered, I felt really bad about it." The history of the world is not people making friends. You had better weapons, and you massacred them. End of story.
~Pangs
Giles: It's the end of the world.
Buffy, Willow, Xander: Again?
~Doomed
Faith as Buffy: You can't do that. It's wrong.
~Who Are You?
Spike: My heart expands. Tis grown a bulge in it. Inspired by your beauty effulgent
~Fool For Love
Anya: But I don't understand! I don't understand how this all happens. How we go through this. I knew her, and then she's— there's just a body, and I don't understand why she just can't get back in it and not be dead... anymore! It's stupid! It's mortal and stupid! And... and Xander's crying and not talking, and... and I was having fruit punch, and I thought, well, Joyce will never have any more fruit punch, ever, and she'll never have eggs, or yawn, or brush her hair, not ever, and no one will explain to me why!
~The Body
Buffy: The hardest thing in this world is to live in it
~The Gift
Spike: Every night I save you
~After Life
Andrew: Timothy Dalton should win an Oscar and beat Sean Connery over the head with it!
~Life Serial
There are probably some I missed, but that's ok.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
30 Days of Buffy: Day 24
Day 24: Favorite Example of 90s Special Effects
There were so many snake monsters over the course of Buffy. And all of them managed to be more funny than scary. Mostly due to CGI that didn't age particularly well. Oh the early days of CGI.
First there was Machida in Reptile Boy. Machida was actually a dude in makeup, not a CGI monster. He was still a failure of a snake. He was supposed to come out of the pit and eat the girls chained up in the basement/dungeon. But it didn't look like he could even open his mouth wide enough to gnaw on someone's arm. He probably would have been scarier if he'd remained off screen.
Machida is followed by Lurconis in Band Candy. They add terror to this demon by making him a baby eater. But he's basically some bad CGI trapped in a sewer. And handily dispatched with fire.
Post-ascension Mayor was kind of awesome. One of the better uses of CGI on the show.
But then they completely failed with the snake-demon Glory raises to track the key. Honestly, it's the most fake-looking monster that ever appeared on the screen.
Any Buffy episode with a snake is guaranteed laughs. CGI just dates the show so much.
Note: Work just got really busy. I may have to pause this meme briefly. It will pick back up again. As soon as things calm down
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
30 Days of Buffy: Day 23
Day 23: Two Characters You Wanted To Get Together That Never Did
I always secretly hoped that Joyce and Giles would figure out a way to make it work. They seemed like a good match, and Giles was basically Buffy's father already. So it made perfect sense. We'll just ignore the fact that technically, they did get together.
On the hood of a police car.
Twice.
Okay, I picked them just so I could make that joke. And it was kind of lame. Honestly, I'm pretty happy to let the creators of the show do what they want with their characters. Almost all of my shipping tends to be canon. So at the time, I may have hoped that two characters would get together. But in retrospect, everything basically made sense. Even Xander and Willow got together for a few episodes.
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